Surgical dressing



31, 1939. E.IE. DICKSON SURGICAL DRESSING Filed Sept. 13, 1937 f: I" 131"]? EECAEUD Patented Jan. 31,1939

PATENT, OFFICE I SURGICAL DRESSING Earle E. Dickson, New Brunswick, N. J., assignor to Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, N. 1., a

corporation of New Jersey Application September 13, 1937, Serial No. 183,687

3 Claims.

The invention relates to surgical dressings mainly intended for application to cuts and other injuries of a minor character and more particularly to first-aid dressings of the type disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,612,267, granted to me December 28th, 1926.

In the aforesaid patented dressing and in other dressings of similar type, it has been usual to employ an absorbent pad or filling comprising absorbent cotton. Although it is known that there are certain disadvantages attendant on the use of absorbent cotton pads and that surgical absorbent paper is a more desirable substitute, it is a fact that no one heretofore and before my invention has evolved an adequate or satisfactory method of effecting the substitution. My present improvements are directed to that end 'and it is a characteristic feature of the new first-aid dressing that it employsa surgical paper filling, and a further characteristic feature that said filling is properly screened in the region of the ventilating openings when such are present as is desirable.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention more readily will be understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

forming a part hereof, wherein Figure 1 is an exploded view showing in detached relation the plaster backing, pad or filling, pad casing, and facing strips.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the completed assembly.

Fig. 3 is a central transverse section.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of stock material at that stage of manufacture before the severance into individual strips or dressings.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a varied form of pad.

According to my present improvements, the absorbent pad or filling 5 is comprised of surgical absorbent paper in tenuous sheet form. It may be manifested as a single strip having reverse or zigzag folds 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or it may comprise superimposed separate sheets I, as shown in Fig. 5. In either case the pad elements are retained in the folded or stacked or superimposed state by a strip 8 of soft gauze. The gauze strip is of width substantially equal to that of the pad or filling but of greater length. The substantial equality of width has for its purpose the insurance in the assembly that the edges 9 of the filling bounding or flanking the plaster backing are left unsealed and, therefore, fully exposed to air flow. The ends of the gauze strip are lapped around or flanges range transversely of the plaster at opposed edges of the filling as at iii in Fig. 2. The-underlaps or flanges 10 serve to retain the folds or separate sheets, as the case may be, of the pad or filling and float the same with relation to the adhesive face ll of the plaster backing I2. 5 When the ventilating openings l3 are present, as is desirable and preferred, it will be understood that the flanges l0 cover and screen them, thereby reinforcing localized areas of the pad and preventing such areas from bulging through the openings.

The article is completed by the application of the conventional protecting or facing strips H, which are crinoline strips with portions thereof in adherent relation with the adhesive face of the plaster backing and other portions I5 relatively free and overlapping the pad.

According to one method of practicing the invention a gauze faced strip ii of sheeted cellulosic material formed as described is applied medially and longitudinally of a strip of surgical plaster I! so as to be adhesively affixed to the adhesive face thereof and so that when the stock is severed along the lines l8, the side edges of the pad or filling will be unsealed and substantially open to the free and unobstructed passage of air. The unsealed state and the freedom of air flow are established by reason of the fact that the gauze is substantially restricted in width to coincide with the width of the pad and its underlaps or bulging therethrough of fibrous portions of the pad.

Having described the invention, what is new '45 1. A first-aid, comprising a strip of surgical adhesive plaster, a pad ranging medially of the plaster the full width thereof and permeable to crosswise air flow, said pad'comprising surgical absorbent paper, and a retaining strip of gauze covering the face and two ends only of the paper pad, the end lapping portions being in adherent relation to the plaster and serving to space the paper from the adhesive face of the plaster.

2. ,A first-aid, comprising surgical tape having spacing the paper stock from the adhesive and thereby preserving its permeable capacity.

3. Method which consists in providing an indefinite length of surgical plaster, providing dressing material of less Width and comprising surgical absorbent paper and gauze covering one face and the end portions only of another face of the paper, applying the dressing material longitudinally and medially of the plaster and so that the lapping portions of the gauze are in propinquity with the adhesive face of the plaster to space the paper therefrom and to anchor the dressing, applying pressure to adhesively fix the parts in the relation stated, and dividing the stock on transverse linesv whereby margins of the dressing are unsealed and the dressing is free to 10 crosswise air flow.

EARLE E. DICKSON. 

